The present invention relates to a knife blade and a knife blade assembly for cutting a food product into sticks or slices.
Devices for cutting food products into slices or sticks are well-known in the art and typically comprise a stationary array of cutting knives with a means to propel the food product through the knife array. The food product may be conveyed through the knife array by entraining it in a fluid stream, such as water, or by placing it between opposed conveyors as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,240.
Typically the stationary knife array comprises a plurality of knife blades mounted parallel to each other. If the food product is to be cut into slices, only a single such array need be utilized. However, if the food product is to be cut into sticks, such as potatoes for french fries, two such arrays are utilized with the knives in one array extending generally perpendicular to the knives in the other array. A typical knife assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,793.
Although the known knife assemblies have proven generally successful, they have not proven successful in cutting certain food products, such as carrots and brittle potatoes, into sticks or slices. The known knife arrays have caused cracking of the surfaces of the products, known in the industry as "feathering" or "shattering", which results in an unacceptable product.
The individual knife blades used in the known knife arrays have had sharp cutting edges, usually formed by beveling one side of the knife blade.